Topic: How to drive your SOHC4 (CB550)

[evanphi]

Hey AirCanuck

If you get the mastercraft multimeter it'll serve you well. I've been using the same one for a loooooooooong time.

Are you at Shearwater? That's the closest to to me.

[AirCanuck]

Hey AirCanuck

If you get the mastercraft multimeter it'll serve you well. I've been using the same one for a loooooooooong time.

Are you at Shearwater? That's the closest to to me.

Hey! Which master craft do you mean? There are so many! I'm in greenwood actually

[evanphi]

Hey AirCanuck

If you get the mastercraft multimeter it'll serve you well. I've been using the same one for a loooooooooong time.

Are you at Shearwater? That's the closest to to me.

Hey! Which master craft do you mean? There are so many! I'm in greenwood actually

I have the old version of this one: http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/mastercraft-digital-5-function-multimeter-0520060p.html#srp

I've used it for like 10 years now, no issues. I did get a set of alligator clip extensions from princess auto. https://www.princessauto.com/en/detail/multimeter-test-lead-alligator-clip-ends/A-p8351165e

I'm just across the Bay of Fundy from you in Saint John.

[Bankerdanny]

Stock Pd carbs for the year.

But why oh why would the PO ditch the choke cable for the sake of "looking cool"?

See if your shop guy can install one of these for ya.

Apparently the guy before the guy I bought it from did it to make room for the pods? Or something? As I have it in the shop for a charging issue I'm having the guy check that situation out as well.

I have no doubt that is what you were told, in this case though the reason was looks. On my '75 550 the lever bumps against the pod, but on your '78 the choke is activated by a cable that runs from the front of the bike to about the center of the rack. There is simply no way that it would in any way touch the pods. The builder of your bike just thought the knob up by the top triple clamp was messy looking (which is true) and so removed it. This is a very lazy way to deal with this issue. He should have moved the knob elsewhere. It can be done, it just takes some creativity.

[AirCanuck]

Hey AirCanuck

If you get the mastercraft multimeter it'll serve you well. I've been using the same one for a loooooooooong time.

Are you at Shearwater? That's the closest to to me.

Hey! Which master craft do you mean? There are so many! I'm in greenwood actually

I have the old version of this one: http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/mastercraft-digital-5-function-multimeter-0520060p.html#srp

I've used it for like 10 years now, no issues. I did get a set of alligator clip extensions from princess auto. https://www.princessauto.com/en/detail/multimeter-test-lead-alligator-clip-ends/A-p8351165e

I'm just across the Bay of Fundy from you in Saint John.

Ah ok! I almost bought a beautiful cb750k out there but the guy stopped responding.

Stock Pd carbs for the year.

But why oh why would the PO ditch the choke cable for the sake of "looking cool"?

See if your shop guy can install one of these for ya.

Apparently the guy before the guy I bought it from did it to make room for the pods? Or something? As I have it in the shop for a charging issue I'm having the guy check that situation out as well.

I have no doubt that is what you were told, in this case though the reason was looks. On my '75 550 the lever bumps against the pod, but on your '78 the choke is activated by a cable that runs from the front of the bike to about the center of the rack. There is simply no way that it would in any way touch the pods. The builder of your bike just thought the knob up by the top triple clamp was messy looking (which is true) and so removed it. This is a very lazy way to deal with this issue. He should have moved the knob elsewhere. It can be done, it just takes some creativity.

No arguments here. I assumed it was the sort mounted near the peacock like other bikes I've seen. If it was on the bars that makes sense especially as it now has clip ons

[TwoTired]

There are several philosophies for the purchase of tools.
One being get just what you need for the job at hand.
Another is get a tool that serves the present need and ones that are expected in the future.  The later is an investment type approach.

A multimeter is already a multi-purpose tool.  Sort of like a swiss army knife, some have more features than others.  I have multi purpose tools, where some features were never used.  Then again, I've been surprised to find a feature used that I never expected. Handy, and job done on the spot without further searching for the proper tool. A time saver, if you will.  And we all have a finite amount.

So, if I only had one multimeter, I might be tempted to get one with the most capability, such as capacitor measurement, or exceptionally sensitive/ narrow ranges.  Might actually save me time and money later when the need arises.

There is an old addage: better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.

Then again, I'm kind of a tool nut. And, I like to collect (and make) tools that extend my test and fix it cababilities.

But, there have been times when my means limited my purchases to just what was essential at the time.

I remember my mother would buy the cheapest bargain bin tools she encountered. Most were a waste of money, as they would break or bugger up the repair attempted.
She never learned that it is better to pay a bit more for a quality tool or item that does the job, rather than pay less and have to replace it for one that serves properly.  Paying less was just money lost for no benefit.

So, what multimeter do you think will serve your needs best?

Cheers,

[AirCanuck]

There are several philosophies for the purchase of tools.
One being get just what you need for the job at hand.
Another is get a tool that serves the present need and ones that are expected in the future.  The later is an investment type approach.

A multimeter is already a multi-purpose tool.  Sort of like a swiss army knife, some have more features than others.  I have multi purpose tools, where some features were never used.  Then again, I've been surprised to find a feature used that I never expected. Handy, and job done on the spot without further searching for the proper tool. A time saver, if you will.  And we all have a finite amount.

So, if I only had one multimeter, I might be tempted to get one with the most capability, such as capacitor measurement, or exceptionally sensitive/ narrow ranges.  Might actually save me time and money later when the need arises.

There is an old addage: better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.

Then again, I'm kind of a tool nut. And, I like to collect (and make) tools that extend my test and fix it cababilities.

But, there have been times when my means limited my purchases to just what was essential at the time.

I remember my mother would buy the cheapest bargain bin tools she encountered. Most were a waste of money, as they would break or bugger up the repair attempted.
She never learned that it is better to pay a bit more for a quality tool or item that does the job, rather than pay less and have to replace it for one that serves properly.  Paying less was just money lost for no benefit.

So, what multimeter do you think will serve your needs best?

Cheers,

I belong to the camp that would rather spend more on a good quality tool, to be sure. 80 dollars or so doesn't seem too much. It's just that in this case I'm out of my depth in knowing which is good

[TwoTired]

The way to assess a multimeter sight unseen is to evaluate the specifications for the meter.  The Canadian tire site does not make those available online, that I can see.  They rely on marketing features and user reviews.  Both are nebulous and unqualified references.
The meters appear to be a foreign import with the Mastercraft label/brand applied to them.  Therefore, I can't even go to the actual manufacturer's site to find product specifications.
The owner's manual should have these specs.  It is not available online.  It may be viewable in the store if the packaging isn't sealed.

They may be descent units.  They may fall short of expectations.  Canadian tire forces you to buy based on expectations and hope, rather than foreknowledge of the purchase actually serving requirements.  It's like they don't want educated buyers as clients.

Autoranging can be quite handy, as can capacitance and temp measurements.  But, it could also be a buyer distraction, shifting focus from the meter's finite abilities.  Marketing.  Priced what the market will bear, rather than actual value of the product.  Sometimes products with many features trade that off for measurement sensitivity/accuracy.  I've witnessed this first hand.  This is where reading the specs tell you those trade-offs have been made for the sake of profits or whether quality has really been added along with the features.

Get me specs for the meters and I can properly advise.  Should be in the owner's manual. 

Is on line ordering not within your purview?  There are certainly other brands that publish specs. openly.  Also, check what Canadian tire has on sale.

For edification:

Cheers,

[754]

This is one time where things might be good by Fluke..

[BomberMann650]

This is one time where things might be good by Fluke..

I have a simple fluke meter.  Only drag is it doesn't display tenths of volt/ohm.

[Deltarider]

For use on our bikes Fluke is overkill. The three cheap meters I have, perform equally good as the much more expensive (back then) automotive type, also known as engine analyzer (which qualification is a bit of an exaggeration IMO). I'd focus on what you want to do with it in the next foreseeable future. For our bikes, you want be able to measure DC volts, ohms and amps. If there's a 200V, 20V and 2V range, fine. All, even the cheapest, have them. For measuring resistance we need a 200Ω, 2kΩ, 20kΩ and 200kΩ range. Again, even the cheapest have them. Although all that I've seen can measure milliampères, not all have an amps range up to 10A. Not everyone needs this, but I like to have it and up to 15A is maybe even more desirable.
What is really important however, is the quality of the casing. Believe it or not, but I have to be far more prudent with the expensive automotive meter, because the cheap meters all have this wonderful (removable) rubber cover with even a built-in foldable stand and clamps to put the probes in when you're finished. Class! My cheap meters even came with the more expensive silicone testwires which I favor over PVC. Only a few DMMs come with an extra set of testwires that have crocodile clamps. Nice to have them as well, but you can buy them separate ofcourse. You want a fuse in your meter that can be replaced. An auto shut-off is nice but not really necessary. All in all the cheap meters that I have are remarkably good. No wonder you find this model in every workshop. They've been sold in the millions. Alas, recently I've seen even cheaper imitations (Action shops) that are not as good.
If you want an 'engine analyzer' it will at least have tach and/or frequency, dwell and/or duty cycle. A warning: don't go for those that measure tach with an inductive clamp. They won't work satisfactorily on our HTleads. IIRC Draper came out best in an UK consumer test not that long ago. All meters that I've worked with over the years, were accurate enough. Professional meters are much better in varying temperatures and when you work in electronics where a higher degree of accuracy is important. But remember: for us, quality of casing and wires is paramount. If the casing is plastic, then it must at least have a removable rubber cover. All my meters are digital but I still think measuring Volts and Tach is nicer with an analogue meter.

[TwoTired]

If you think you have a good, safe meter. Find out what happens when you pass through the milliamp selector scale while your leads are attached to measure volts.  Hopefully the circuit you are testing can survive for as long as it take for the meter's internal fuse to part.
If it doesn't provide separate lead plugs for all amp functions, it really isn't friendly to a beginner. Troubleshooting your meter during a troubleshoot of the problem circuit, is an undesirable distraction.

Autoranging takes the technology into this era, rather than 30 years ago.  Not all old ways are better.  I don't think I'd buy another meter without autoranging, the one I have is my go to meter.  It also has auto shut off.  Lots of fun with other meters that were left on due to distractions needing a new battery before it can be used again.  Beginners seldom posses perfect procedure, or have a ready stock of spare batts.

If I could only buy a meter from Canadian tire, I'd be attracted to  Product #052-1899-2.  But, I would scrutinize the spec sheet before purchase.

Cheap meters have their place and can certainly be useful.  But, they are cheap for a reason.  If you can endure those reasons, great!

To wit:  One of the "free" ones I got from Harbor Freight, immediately broke the internal connections upon inserting the provided test leads into the unit.  Both of them.  Snap, then snap.  Sure I can fix it.  But, the goal was to fix something else.  A beginner would have also needed to learn soldering skills.

Cheers,

[calj737]

There's been plenty of times when the Diode function on my DMM was required and times when I used a "cheap low end meter". I am in the school of thought; but once, buy well, never buy again. Tools are investments. Invest wisely.

[AirCanuck]

If you think you have a good, safe meter. Find out what happens when you pass through the milliamp selector scale while your leads are attached to measure volts.  Hopefully the circuit you are testing can survive for as long as it take for the meter's internal fuse to part.
If it doesn't provide separate lead plugs for all amp functions, it really isn't friendly to a beginner. Troubleshooting your meter during a troubleshoot of the problem circuit, is an undesirable distraction.

Autoranging takes the technology into this era, rather than 30 years ago.  Not all old ways are better.  I don't think I'd buy another meter without autoranging, the one I have is my go to meter.  It also has auto shut off.  Lots of fun with other meters that were left on due to distractions needing a new battery before it can be used again.  Beginners seldom posses perfect procedure, or have a ready stock of spare batts.

If I could only buy a meter from Canadian tire, I'd be attracted to  Product #052-1899-2.  But, I would scrutinize the spec sheet before purchase.

Cheap meters have their place and can certainly be useful.  But, they are cheap for a reason.  If you can endure those reasons, great!

To wit:  One of the "free" ones I got from Harbor Freight, immediately broke the internal connections upon inserting the provided test leads into the unit.  Both of them.  Snap, then snap.  Sure I can fix it.  But, the goal was to fix something else.  A beginner would have also needed to learn soldering skills.

Cheers,

I'm perfectly happy to buy from any online source, especially amazon.ca as it avoids tariffs, folks! Suggest me a good make and model with this autoranging you speak of that you recommend and I'll buy it as long as it's not off the charts expensive. Incidentally looking at a used lot of tools nearby that includes a Innova Equus multimeter...

[Deltarider]

Innova Equus multimeter...

Innova used to be Equus. Their products were also sold under the name 80-line or Hawk, but that's a long time ago. It used to be a Taiwan brand, possibly now Singapore or Malaysia, so have a good look at the quality of the casing etc. In the 80s I worked with this analogue d'Arsonvalmeter (see below) by Hawk. Although it proved very accurate and the needle was a joy to read, the casing was thin and hard plastic, so it did not last very long. Nowadays they seem less vulnerable and better built. A modern Innova looks much more sturdy and this model seems to have all possible functions: http://www.multimeterreviews.com/equus-3340-review/ But again, it all depends on what you want. I mean, you can do a lot with just a testlamp or a very simple meter. Luckily nowadays you can find out a lot by looking at the specs and the often published manuals. Just an example is https://www.carid.com/images/innova/items/pdf/3340-owner-manual.pdf

[AirCanuck]

Innova Equus multimeter...

Innova used to be Equus. Their products were also sold under the name 80-line or Hawk, but that's a long time ago. It used to be a Taiwan brand, possibly now Singapore or Malaysia, so have a good look at the quality of the casing etc. In the 80s I worked with this analogue d'Arsonvalmeter by Hawk. Although it proved very accurate and the needle was a joy to read, the casing was thin and hard plastic, so it did not last very long. They looked like (see below) so you can see how vulnerable they were. Nowadays they seem built a lot better. A modern Innova looks much more sturdy and this model seems to have all possible functions: http://www.multimeterreviews.com/equus-3340-review/ But again, it all depends on what you want. I mean you can do a lot with just a testlamp or a very simple meter. Luckily nowadays you can find out a lot by looking at the specs and their often published manuals. Just an example is https://www.carid.com/images/innova/items/pdf/3340-owner-manual.pdf

Just found out the model, it is an equus 4320. Doesn't seem something special. After what TwoTired wrote I'm thinking I want something with auto range

[calj737]

And TT's last post gave you the product number from that site. Plunk down your cash and emerge from analysis paralysis.

[AirCanuck]

And TT's last post gave you the product number from that site. Plunk down your cash and emerge from analysis paralysis.

This is something I am known to suffer acutely

[calj737]

And TT's last post gave you the product number from that site. Plunk down your cash and emerge from analysis paralysis.

This is something I am known to suffer acutely

Readily apparent 

[AirCanuck]

And TT's last post gave you the product number from that site. Plunk down your cash and emerge from analysis paralysis.

This is something I am known to suffer acutely

Readily apparent 

unfortunately it is exacerbate in situations like this where I'm well out of my depth!

[calj737]

Then the best advice I can offer is to heed the counsel of the Lifeguard (TwoTired) when swimming in the deep end of the pool 

[BomberMann650]

Well, now that the test meter issue is settled.  Shall we move onto steering dampers?

[Gene]

Well, now that the test meter issue is settled.  Shall we move onto steering dampers?

I think oil is far more important.

[calj737]

Well, now that the test meter issue is settled.  Shall we move onto steering dampers?

He already waded into that shallow pool of opinions elsewhere 

[AirCanuck]

Well, now that the test meter issue is settled.  Shall we move onto steering dampers?

He already waded into that shallow pool of opinions elsewhere 

Oh gosh. My forays are being tracked